Mohan Jhangiani was the youngest of ten children. The family lived in Lahore, in a bungalow that carried the inscription ‘In Unity Lies Strength’ – a message that Mohan held dear all his life. His father, Jivatram, worked with Kaycee. After Partition, Bhagwan, the eldest brother, took up an office in Kala Ghoda with agencies for Kaycee and other companies. Young Mohan, high-spirited and fun-loving, started working with him as a salesman, walking all day in the Bombay dust and humidity, looking for customers in the Mill district and the wholesale electrical goods market Lohar Chawl. Mohan’s break came when he purchased Karachi Electric Cable Company at Himalaya House, whose owner had died. The business flourished with new agencies whose products did exceedingly well as India’s industrial development progressed.

Mohan often caricatured Gandhi, dressing in the style of the father of the nation. On 2 October, Gandhi’s birthday, he would walk for a cause with a group, carrying a stout stick and dressed in dhoti and chappals and the Gandhi spectacles he’d had specially imported from Germany. He did roles playing Gandhi, including in Deepa Mehta’s award-winning film Water.

Mohan was an extremely generous person, always eager to help others. And people loved to reciprocate – after all, who could ever say no to Gandhi? Some of the small-time electrical traders he mentored grew to great wealth. He was also highly social, with a large network of associates including the consulate and expat crowd. He loved spending time at Radio Club and worked hard to bring up the institution, a sports club with an interesting history.

Mohan and his wife Krishna had four children: Reena, Sanjiv, Ranjiv and Sudhir, and they cared for his eldest sister Ratna who lived with them. When Reena died tragically young, Mohan opened a school for underprivileged girls in her name in Kalyan. He continued with his charities and social work, and played a prominent role in the Khudabadi Amil Panchayat.